.GAS MASKS, Respirators or Rebreathers

[Wired]

Hi HS,

Do you mean the civilian or military israeli gasmasks?
I own one of the civilian versions, nice and sleek looking.

Here's a few links.

http://www.armynavysales.com/Merchan...egory_Code=GAS

http://www.spymaster.co.uk/pr05.html

http://theepicenter.com/military_surplus.html

http://www.approvedgasmasks.com/mask-israeli.htm

[rubberwearer]

Keeping the airways of gas masks clean and hygienic has always been a puzzle for me.

I love gas masks but have never enjoyed them for long because of fear of bacteria that I might be breathing in.

I had an ex-army respirator with a long tube the was great to wear but as it grew older I got a bit wary of what might be growing in the crevices and sadly discarded it.

Then I bought a wonderful ex-service gas mask that had clever airways let into the front face that directed the incoming air on to the glass eye lenses - never got misting up. BUT . . . it came with a kind of odd white deposit in parts of the inside which was difficult to remove completely and impossible to remove from inside the "tubes".
I tried soaking in soapy water and brushing but again the "tubes" were inaccessible ? that made the inside slimy and still not clean. So again I reluctantly discarded it.

I don?t want to use bleach to sterilise because the smell of that is unpleasant and it might remove the rubbery aroma which is the main attraction of gas masks.

I don?t mind a bit of muck on my ?outside? skin but my internal lungs are a different matter.

Can anyone help? . . .

[alphax]

I have an Israeli Gas mask (supposedly) adult size, but I'm wondering if it's too small for me or I'm not wearing it correctly.

When I put it on, the cup that contains the breathing valves isn't tight to my mouth and nose.

How exactly is the mask supposed to fit?
Either I have a mis-boxed youth mask, or the adult size is just too small for me.

[Wired]

Hi rubberwearer,
I have some tube for my mask thats corrugated on the outside but practically smooth on the inside.
This makes it much harder for foreign bodies to accumulate inside the tube but much easier to clean. I dont think its rubber but its sure is black and shiny and has the standard fittings. If i can find a link or a supplier I'll post one here.

[Wired]

Hmmm... mine's the same. The cup doesent quite reach my face either but I dont think this is an essential requirement, the mask seems to function well even so.

How is it possible to tell which size it is,are there markings on the mask?

[Famous_Moose]

I don?t want to use bleach to sterilise because the smell of that is unpleasant and it might remove the rubbery aroma which is the main attraction of gas masks.

I don?t mind a bit of muck on my ?outside? skin but my internal lungs are a different matter.

Can anyone help? . . .

What about standard antibacterial surface cleaner. It's not as harsh as bleach, and once you've given it a spray and a short soak you could rinse it out with water?

When I first got my mask I gave it a complete wash out with antibacterial washing up liquid and really hot water. I've not got anything nasty off it to my knowledge .

Moose

[Sandi]

Having had to ?Suck Rubber? in refineries and nuclear plants for other than recreational purposes, there are cleaners that are used to disinfect and condition the rubber/silicone masks. I would check an industrial safety supply source.

http://www.mohawksafety.com/industrl/resp/north.htm cleaning wipes at the bottom of the page.

OSHA Respiratory Protection Standards 29 CFR 1910.134
Appendix B-2 to ? 1910.134: Respirator Cleaning Procedures (Mandatory)
These procedures are provided for employer use when cleaning respirators. They are general in nature, and the employer as an alternative may use the cleaning recommendations provided by the manufacturer of the respirators used by their employees, provided such procedures are as effective as those listed here in Appendix B- 2. Equivalent effectiveness simply means that the procedures used must accomplish the objectives set forth in Appendix B-2, i.e., must ensure that the respirator is properly cleaned and disinfected in a manner that prevents damage to the respirator and does not cause harm to the user.
I. Procedures for Cleaning Respirators
A. Remove filters, cartridges, or canisters. Disassemble facepieces by removing speaking diaphragms, demand and pressure- demand valve assemblies, hoses, or any components recommended by the manufacturer. Discard or repair any defective parts.
B. Wash components in warm (43 deg. C [110 deg. F] maximum) water with a mild detergent or with a cleaner recommended by the manufacturer. A stiff bristle (not wire) brush may be used to facilitate the removal of dirt.
C. Rinse components thoroughly in clean, warm (43 deg. C [110 deg. F] maximum), preferably running water. Drain.
D. When the cleaner used does not contain a disinfecting agent, respirator components should be immersed for two minutes in one of the following:
1. Hypochlorite solution (50 ppm of chlorine) made by adding approximately one milliliter of laundry bleach to one liter of water at 43 deg. C (110 deg. F); or,
2. Aqueous solution of iodine (50 ppm iodine) made by adding approximately 0.8 milliliters of tincture of iodine (6-8 grams ammonium and/or potassium iodide/100 cc of 45% alcohol) to one liter of water at 43 deg. C (110 deg. F); or,
3. Other commercially available cleansers of equivalent disinfectant quality when used as directed, if their use is recommended or approved by the respirator manufacturer.
E. Rinse components thoroughly in clean, warm (43 deg. C [110 deg. F] maximum), preferably running water. Drain. The importance of thorough rinsing cannot be overemphasized. Detergents or disinfectants that dry on facepieces may result in dermatitis. In addition, some disinfectants may cause deterioration of rubber or corrosion of metal parts if not completely removed.
F. Components should be hand-dried with a clean lint-free cloth or air-dried.
G. Reassemble facepiece, replacing filters, cartridges, and canisters where necessary.
H. Test the respirator to ensure that all components work properly.
[63 FR 1152, Jan. 8, 1998]

[Sandi]

Having just pulled up the OSHA standards for cleaning respirators the Oficial word on fit etc is http://www.ehso.com/OSHA1910_134.htm

[Rubberron]

Hi to All

I once saw on television a fireman cleaning their masks with steam.

Rubberized Greetings
Rubberron

[Hissing Sid]

How is it possible to tell which size it is,are there markings on the mask?

I'm not at home right now so I can't check but I know there *is* some kind of size mark on the Israeli masks. I think it's somewhere on the edge, maybe by one of the strap hooks.
I seem to recall (vaguely) that it was a bit obscure. The box had something on it which said "A = Adult" (or something like that) and, when I looked on the mask, there was a letter "A".
I'm not sure if this was exactly what happened but the point I'm making is that it's not as straightforward as just looking for the word "LARGE" stamped on the mask. :-/

My wife and I both have the same size so I can't tell you if there's any difference in the physical sizes of the Israeli masks.
On me the breath cup presses against my face and the only imperfection in the fit is that there's a slight air gap around the bridge of my nose.
The only significance is that, obviously, if the breath cup fits correctly then all the exhaled air goes straight out and you don't get any fogging. It doesn't affect the way the mask works.

The Israeli masks are all pretty small. They sit on the "front"of your face rather than covering it. The two that I bought were boxed, new, and were definately "large" or "adult" sized but they are actually pretty small compared to something like an S10.